A philosophy professor is called into a meeting by the committee because of her recent inappropriate behavior. As she gets dressed, she thinks back to what may have started it all: During an undergraduate seminar of twelve students, while teaching the politics of the quotidian, a male student interrupts her and tells her she is wrong. Stunned, she kicks the student out of class. By the end of the class, though, she begins to doubt herself and looks at the student's paper to affirm she is smarter. When the professor logs onto the computer, however, she finds only eleven students, and the student who interrupted is not on the list.

She goes home that night and drinks three glasses of wine to calm her nerves. In the morning, the professor emails a grad school friend in her same fellowship, and although she can't remember his name, she knows it starts with "M."

On a rainy evening, the professor and M. meet in a bar. He doesn't remember her and when the professor tells him what happened with the student, he says he has never experienced anything like that.

Frustrated by his ego and the situation, a few days later she goes into the department office to turn in a privacy form and finds Janet, the secretary. The professor asks if Janet can look up her student roster, but Janet is combative and questions whether the professor even works there. Janet looks up the class and finds twelve students on the list. The professor asks to see the names, growing more frustrated by Janet's contempt. The professor grows more hostile and Janet tells the professor she is calling security. The professor turns and runs out of the office and into the frosty air.